The Reverse Sweeptag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-812486424237565552012-02-03T13:52:04+00:00An acerbic and irreverent twist on the wonderful world of cricketTypePadAll out for 88, 80, 72, 74, 98, 82, 96, 47, 51, 72, 99: Cricket or skittles?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0167619b88ce970b2012-02-03T13:52:04+00:002012-02-03T13:56:06+00:00Being bowled out for under 100 used to be commonplace back in the time of Queen Victoria, but until recently instances were few and far between in the modern game and normally (although not always) featured Bangladesh. However, since Pakistan visited England in 2010, it is as if the likes of George Lohmann and the Demon have been reincarnated such has been the regularity in which batsmen have been skittled. In just 18 short months there have been 11 instances of a side being bowled out for less than 100. Pakistan leads the way with four, closely followed by Australia...The Reverse SweepFlat track bully? Shane Watson hits 185 not out off 96 balls with 15 sixestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b014e60aaf9e4970c2011-04-12T08:17:36+01:002011-04-12T08:17:36+01:00We don’t care much for Shane Watson at The Reverse Sweep, but he can certainly hit a cricket ball a long way. It may have come in the most pointless one day international series ever and the Bangladeshi bowling would have left a County 2nd XI shame-faced, but 185 not out off 96 balls with 15 gigantic sixes is impressive in any language. To put Watson’s achievement into context, Michael Vaughan played 86 one day internationals with a top score of 90 not out – Watson hit the same number of runs in sixes alone in Mirpur yesterday. Watson’s innings...The Reverse SweepThe most pointless ODI Series of them all?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b014e87657f1b970d2011-04-11T09:27:06+01:002011-04-11T09:27:06+01:00At first we thought it was an April Fool. Then we checked the date. Just one week after the World Cup had finished, Australia was playing a ODI in Bangladesh. Come again? Apparently the match on Saturday was the first of three ODI series - the second is currently in full swing as we type. We cannot fathom the utter futility of Cricket Australia agreeing to this venture so soon after a World Cup on the subcontinent that lasted (or so it seemed) for ten years. On the whole, the World Cup has breathed life back into the 50 over...The Reverse SweepWhat have we learned so far from the Cricket World Cup?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0147e364785c970b2011-03-22T16:30:00+00:002011-03-22T16:30:00+00:00Finally, it is over. The Hundred Years War lasted for less time than the group stages of the World Cup; or so it seemed anyway. But what have we learned so far? No-one seems to want to win the tournament – there is no outstanding side and several mediocre ones South Africa look the best balanced team and appear to be marginal favourites – but can they win their first knockout match ever in a World Cup? Or will the ‘c’ word raise its ugly head again? England are the most exciting, entertaining and unpredictable side in the tournament –...The Reverse SweepThe 'real' home of cricket? Not quite, as it turns out...tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b014e5fd8edca970c2011-03-15T09:00:00+00:002011-03-15T09:00:00+00:00The Reverse Sweep and his brood were back in England last week looking at property and crèches in and around Haslemere in Surrey. Yes, after six years in the South of France the triple realities of a meaningful career, schools and easy access to a support network plus an unhealthy addiction to county cricket mean that we are likely to move back to Albion at some point this summer. We picked a good week to visit the UK. For once, the weather was better than it was in Cannes, and we also got to miss England’s embarrassing capitulation against Bangladesh...The Reverse SweepIt's time for a mid-World Cup breaktag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b014e867d6beb970d2011-03-04T18:30:00+00:002011-03-04T18:30:00+00:00Given that the World Cup lasts nearly as long as the football season, we've decided to take a mid-tournament break. Hopefully, by the time we get back the England team will have stopped bowling pies and collectively fielding like a blindfolded Kamran Akmal. The break couldn't come soon enough. We'd kind of been looking forward to today as it presented the possibility of two upsets. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe left all their batsmen back in Harare and the less said about Bangladesh's efforts today the better. The only thing we can't quite understand is why the Bangladesh fans stoned the West Indies...The Reverse SweepWorld Cup Team Previews: Bangladesh - Shock & Awetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b014e5f3ac6f2970c2011-02-15T07:43:34+00:002011-02-15T07:43:34+00:00Let’s hope Bangladesh perform at the World Cup otherwise the 42 match group stage threatens be the most futile preliminary round of any competition since Australia played American Samoa in a World Cup qualifier in 2001. The good news is that the Tigers steady improvement in ODI went into hyperspace with the recent 4-0 home triumph over New Zealand - ok it was only New Zealand, but even so. If Shakib can inspire his troops to reach similar heights then both West Indies and even England could be vulnerable to a shock exit at the group stage. Strengths Playing at...The Reverse SweepCricket World Cup 2011: How are the protagonists shaping up?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b01348567e701970c2010-07-25T09:00:00+01:002010-07-23T12:50:09+01:00One World Cup has just concluded with Spain rightfully crowned champions for the first time, so thoughts can now turn to cricket's World Cup, which begins on 19 February 2011 when India take on Bangladesh in Dhaka. There has been a slew of one day international cricket recently and as such this seems an apt time to look at each of the contenders for the crown. Can anyone wrest the World Cup trophy from Ricky Ponting? Or will Australia lift the trophy for an incredible fourth successive time? As we've already pointed out (see What cricket can learn from football...The Reverse SweepBangladesh star in 'If at first you don't succeed...'tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0133f235bea6970b2010-07-11T17:30:00+01:002010-07-12T06:29:28+01:00Now that we've wiped the egg off our face after we moaned only two days ago that England versus Bangladesh duals were becoming a little bit boring and unpredictable, we can now offer hearty congratulations to Bangladesh for finally managing to beat England at cricket. The celebrations at the end of the match were wonderful. 20 defeats in 20 matches were fairly daunting odds coming into the match at Bristol, but this Bangladesh side doesn't lack spirit and despite only posting 236 for seven from their 50 overs, they bowled with intelligence and some bravery at the end to win...The Reverse SweepIan Bell - King of the playground bulliestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b013485514ee8970c2010-07-09T19:00:00+01:002010-07-09T19:00:00+01:00Ian Bell doesn't look like your average playground bully but he has certainly proved adept at stealing sweets and obtaining money with menaces from little Bangladeshi kids when ever he has come across them on the school cricket field. Not content with having an astronomical test average of 158.25 against the Tigers, Bell opened his one day account against the same opposition yesterday with an effortless 84 not out as England strolled to victory at Trent Bridge. In test matches, Bell has scored 65 not out, 162 not out, 84, 39 not out, 138, 17 and 128 against Bangladesh. That...The Reverse SweepA sense of deja vu for England and Bangladeshtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0134854f6c23970c2010-07-09T08:00:00+01:002010-07-09T08:00:00+01:00England and Bangladesh have obviously played each other too often over the last few months, as it is all becoming rather predictable now. The first match of the one day series at Trent Bridge confirmed a number of observations made since the sides first faced each other in Bangladesh in February. The sense of deja vu is overwhelming. England are running a bit scared of Tamim Iqbal and set negative fields far too early to the swashbuckling opener. James Anderson is wasting the new ball on an alarmingly regular basis. Tim Bresnan is a wholehearted trier, but a test or...The Reverse SweepIf cricket was at the football World Cup... tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0133f2017115970b2010-07-02T07:39:28+01:002011-01-20T16:08:13+00:00Earlier this week we wrote a post comparing certain cricketers to some of the footballers on show at the World Cup. For example Kevin Pietersen's ability to divide opinion as a love and hate figure whilst being vain and a bit of a mincer we judged as a deadringer for Cristiano Ronaldo. So, to coincide with the start of the World Cup quarter finals today, we turn our attention to the teams. If cricket's nine test sides were at the World Cup, which footballing nation would they be? Pakistan are France - Bit of an obvious one this one. The...The Reverse SweepIs it time to revoke Bangladesh's test status?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0133efff7c4d970b2010-06-04T09:15:10+01:002010-06-04T09:15:10+01:00Following Bangladesh's defeat at Lord's there were the usual calls for their test status to be revoked. Indeed, Tamim Iqbal used a typically blunt comment from Geoff Boycott on this very subject as inspiration for his brilliant hundred on the Sunday. When you consider this question in purely cricketing terms, it doesn't look good. Since their first test match in 2000, Bangladesh have played 67 tests and only won three. Two of these victories came against a third choice West Indies side and the other came against a Mugabe decimated Zimbabwe. Furthermore, Bangladesh have only drawn six tests (three against...The Reverse SweepToothless England fail to contain Tiger Tamimtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b013482883c6d970c2010-05-31T08:00:00+01:002010-05-31T08:00:00+01:00The late wickets of Mohammad Ashraful and Shahadat Hossain may have swung the test back into the home side's favour but that does not hide the fact that England were pitiful at Lord's yesterday. The bowling attack, Steve Finn apart, was powder puff and toothless, Andrew Strauss was uninspiring as captain, and one can just imagine the smile emanating from Ricky Ponting's face when he woke up in Australia this morning. On this display, the Aussies will hardly be quaking in their boots ahead of the Ashes. Bangladesh on the other hand were marvellous. Tamim Iqbal, who we have long...The Reverse SweepSpare a thought...tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0133ef54285a970b2010-05-30T08:00:00+01:002010-05-30T08:00:00+01:00...for Mohammad Ashraful. Ever since becoming the youngest man in test history to score a hundred when he hit 114 on debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Ashraful was considered Bangladesh's most talented batsman. Until Tamim Iqbal came along that is. Since his stunning debut there have been the occasional flashes of brilliance such as an unbeaten 158 against India in 2004. But the overwhelming sensation has been one of intense disappointment as an obvious talent fails to live up to his initial promise. His pre-Lord's average of 22.78 from 53 tests goes some way to explaining the burst blood...The Reverse SweepWho will be the Lovers & the Shaggers of the World T20?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b01348046c476970c2010-04-30T21:40:00+01:002010-05-01T07:21:05+01:00Last week we introduced you to two categories of T20 batsmen - the Lovers and the Shaggers. The warm-up matches and the opening match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka has taught us that the pitches in Guyana, Barbados and St Lucia are slower than an arthritic tortoise who has had a particularly heavy night on the sauce. This means that the shaggers may not be as prevalent as they were in the IPL where Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan and Kieron Pollard in particular shagged themselves silly around India for six weeks. I always had Tillakaratne Dilshan down as a...The Reverse SweepWorld T20 preview and predictionstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0133ed072ff2970b2010-04-28T22:33:58+01:002010-04-28T22:34:24+01:00Just five days after the end of the IPL season, international cricket resumes with the World T20 in the Caribbean. Although, it will be a less frenzied affair with no DLF maximums, no timeouts and praise be to God, no Danny Morrison, it is not exactly an example of good scheduling by the ICC. And coming under a year after the last World T20 in England, no-one could argue that cricket in general is adopting a less is more approach to the youngest form of the game. The competition itself is structured in the same way as a year ago...The Reverse SweepHow competitive are Bangladesh? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0120a96e7948970b2010-03-24T08:51:56+00:002010-03-24T08:51:56+00:00A while back, I wrote a post refuting the general view that Bangladesh are getting better. On the evidence of the test series with England, I was wrong. They are getting better but how competitive are they? And how close are they to actually winning a test match against anyone other than Zimbabwe or a West Indies third XI? First the positives. Whatever the outcome of the 2nd Test, Bangladesh have done reasonably well in this series. They have taken both games to five days and certainly in this test they have at times been on top -like on the...The Reverse SweepFearlessness, impetuosity and Tamim Iqbaltag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0120a968e849970b2010-03-23T12:51:49+00:002010-03-23T12:51:49+00:00Now we at The Reverse Sweep are big fans of Tamim Iqbal. Along with Tillakaratne Dilshan, we nominated Tamim as one of the first two graduates from the Sehwag School of Batting. And we lauded his batting on Saturday, when but for an umpiring error he probably would have scored a century before lunch in the 2nd Test in Dhaka. Why do we like Tamim? Because he stands and delivers, is utterly fearless and is truly Bangladesh's first world-class batsman now that Mohammad Ashraful has sadly been revealed as a flash-in-the-pan impostor. He turned 21 on Saturday and he certainly...The Reverse SweepTamim Iqbal's 'come and get me' plea to the IPLtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0120a735b61b970b0120a958af42970b2010-03-20T06:19:25+00:002010-05-01T17:33:50+01:00A while back I wrote that Tamim Iqbal had successfully graduated from the Sehwag School for batting. That was after his brilliant century 151 against India in January. Today he decided to take his PhD and secure a spot in the IPL with his batting in the second test against England in Dhaka. And unlike Matt Hayden he did it without using a Mongoose. Tamim treated Tim Bresnan with the disdain he deserves as perhaps England's least threatening opening bowler of all time. And then he took a shine to Graeme Swann, newly installed as the second best test bowler...The Reverse Sweep